


Traditionally Lovingly Yours

by loveandwar007



Category: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 00:13:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11680005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveandwar007/pseuds/loveandwar007
Summary: When Queen Moon catches her daughter and Marco sneaking around the kingdom in the middle of the night, serious questions about the young couple's future arise that they may or may not be prepared to answer.(A prequel to the Monarchs of Mewni series, but can also be read separately)





	Traditionally Lovingly Yours

It was so still in Butterfly Castle during the summer evenings that Star had difficulty maneuvering around unnoticed. In the winter months, she took advantage of the howling winds outside when she padded past the guards patrolling the upper levels near her bed chambers. But now, not a breath of wind wafted through the open windows.

 _Guess I gotta do this the magic way,_ Star thought, pulling her wand out from underneath her dark cloak she had affectionately named ‘Sneaky’. It smelled like two years of slinking around the kingdom in the middle of the night. And it also had another very familiar scent that was vaguely cinnamon and made her heart beat faster. In minutes, she would be surrounded by it again, and she couldn’t wait.

Closing her eyes, the princess concentrated, hoping her rusty nonverbal spell casting wouldn’t fail her now. A smile spread across her face when a thick fog began to emit from the crystal, spilling along the carpeted floor of the corridor. The guards cried out as their vision was suddenly obstructed. 

“Attack! Attack on the…Castle…” The one on the left didn’t get to finish his call as he slumped forward, he and his comrade crashing to the floor in a deep sleep.

“Sorry, guys,” Star muttered sheepishly, leaping over them as she made her way to the staircase. “I just need a few hours.” She just needed one night, a night where she wasn’t consumed by learning her impending queenly duties, one night where she could remember she was more than this. That she was Star Butterfly, a beautiful, powerful, caring girl who had choices. And she was about to make one right now.

Sliding down the banister, she crawled over to the loose stone in the corner underneath the grand staircase and dug her nails in to remove it. The tiny string appeared as it always had, and she yanked it upward. Instantly, a tapestry of Queen Festivia the Fun on the opposite wall creaked aside to reveal a passageway -- one of countless that this castle had hidden away for centuries. Smirking, Star bound inside, shutting the makeshift door tightly behind her.

Within moments, she emerged under the clear starry sky, Mewni’s four moons illuminating her path as Star ran on the balls of her feet through the courtyard. Slipping in-between the palace gate’s bars, she spotted the edge of the forest and slithered behind a thick oak tree with all the grace of a snake.

They had been meeting at this exact spot once a month over the course of two years that felt like an eternity. Her tiny consolation prize for being confined to Mewni for the duration of her training to ascend to the throne. But her mother continued to defend every ridiculous Butterfly tradition under the sun, telling her it was mandatory. And unfortunately, that meant Star was too busy to visit Earth.

A flash of light blue lit up the pitch darkness, a portal swirling into place beside her. Star jumped up and eagerly pulled on the arm that emerged from the magical barrier before she even saw his face. It was so routine now that the young man who emerged instantly swept her close into his dark green cape. And she in turn burrowed against his red hoodie underneath.

“Have any problems getting out?” his voice rumbled gently, his breath tickling the top of her head where she now stood a full head shorter than him. 

“Do I ever?” Star replied, finally gazing up into the chocolate brown eyes of Marco Diaz, the flecks of amber within them dancing in the moonlight. _“Gosh_ you look adorable tonight.”

He responded with a deep longing kiss, which she reciprocated vigorously. After weeks of feeling dead inside from pouring over old books and fresh documents with her mother, aunt and other ladies of the court, attending boring meetings and giving her half-hearted input on taxes and tariffs, Marco was here to wake her up again, like a prince kissing his sleeping beauty.

“Happy Birthday,” he whispered before diving in for another taste of her lips, and Star smiled inwardly. She had turned twenty years old just a few days earlier, and the festivities had finally died down enough for her and her boyfriend to plan their little rendezvous of the month.

“Mmm, now it really feels like a party…” she muttered, her heart emblems glowing softly in her contentment.

“Sorry I couldn’t make it. Finals, ya know.”

“You know I’m not mad, college boy,” Star said, pulling back to rest her head on his chest as they both caught their breath. “The sooner you get that diploma, the sooner you can come see me more often. And then we can…talk.”

“Yeah. That talk.” Marco rested his chin on top of her head, avoiding the subject just as much as her. Ever since they had affirmed their love for each other, they had taken things one day at a time. Which meant neither of them had really thought about what was going to happen after Marco graduated and Star was deemed ready for the crown to be passed on to her.

Star hugged him closer as her eyes and nose prickled in warning, determined not to be a party pooper. She swallowed down any urge to get emotional, concentrating on the steady beat of his heart against her ear to calm her. She didn’t care what happened, all she knew was that she wanted this sweet, brave, strong, _wonderful_ boy right beside her. Just like he had always been, even when he didn’t need to be.

“So what’d ya have in mind tonight?”

She grinned, thankful for a change of subject. “There’s some leftover cake in the royal kitchens.”

“Mmm, I am pretty hungry,” Marco agreed, letting her take him by the hand and lead him out into the field. “But uh, are you sure we won’t get caught with all the guards crawlin’ around?”

“Nah, I took care of them,” Star waved off, brandishing her wand proudly. “Knock-out gas. Besides, we’ve been doing this for months and we haven’t been caught yet.”

“There’s always a first time for everything.”

Star froze, the response not coming from Marco, who rammed into her from behind when she stopped dead in her tracks. She had come face-to-face with a dark grey warnicorn’s snout, the creature snorting in their direction before letting out a loud neigh. And atop the noble steed was the absolute last person the princess wanted to see under these circumstances.

“Mom!” she squeaked out, her widened baby blue eyes meeting the narrowed sapphire ones of Queen Moon. She had thrown a coat over her dressing gown, the evening breeze blowing through her long loose periwinkle hair. And when Star cracked a futile smile, she refused to return it.

“Get on, both of you,” Moon replied sternly, and Star and Marco instantly obeyed, climbing behind her onto the steed’s back. She whipped the reins and without another word, they sped back to the castle, Marco keeping his arms firm in assurance around Star’s waist.

 

* * *

 

“This is my fault,” Marco blurted out the second they entered Moon’s study. “It really is, this was all my idea.”

“Don’t take all the credit,” Star muttered despondently, “I agreed to it.”

“You will both have a chance to explain yourselves in due time,” the queen said, removing her coat and throwing it onto a nearby rack before seating herself in one of the plush blue armchairs. Expressionlessly, she glanced between both of them, from Marco’s petrified face to Star’s mingling with shame and defiance. “I’m sure neither of you meant any harm, but simply the sight of Mewni’s princess running across the grounds at dusk would be enough for the gossip chain to spin their own context.”

“I said I was sorry, like, a hundred times!” Star exclaimed. “And it was only a five minute ride!” She blew a raspberry through her lips, brushing her windswept blonde hair away from her face. “How’d you find us?”

“The guard’s call awakened me,” Moon replied, drumming her nails on the arm of the chair. “And it was your cheek emblems that gave you away.”

“Stupid cheeks,” Star muttered, poking her hearts roughly. “Givin’ away my feelings and stuff.”

“Moon, listen,” Marco began, treading lightly. “I would never do anything to Star that would cause a scandal. I know you were probably surprised to see us…uh…kissing.”

“‘Surprised’ is the understatement of the century,” Moon said blankly. “Considering the last I heard, you referred to my daughter as your ‘best friend.’”

“Well, she still is.” He took hold of Star’s hand, who returned his grip tightly with a bright smile. “She always has been, and she always will be. But lately, I’ve been realizing exactly everything she means to me. That’s what Star is to me… _everything._ And I’ve never felt like that about anyone else before.” The corner of his mouth upturned slightly, “Besides, isn’t King River _your_ best friend?”

Moon thought on that for a moment, curling a finger around her lips. “Yes…I suppose you could say he is.”

“And how’d you know to check the edge of the forest, hmm?” Star raised her eyebrows. “Sounds like somewhere you and Daddy might’ve run off to when you were our age.”

“Excuse me, _I’m_ the one doing the interrogating here,” her mother retorted through gritted teeth, and the couple took a step back from her intimidating glare.

“Marco, would you please give my daughter and I a few minutes alone?”

“Uh, _no,”_ Star bit out, balling her fists. “Whatever you gotta say, you can say it in front of him.” 

“Marco, please step outside,” Moon repeated more firmly, yet her glare remained fixed on Star. Marco glanced anxiously between them before giving a little incline of his head and spinning on his heel towards the door. 

“What is _with_ you?” Star hissed once they heard the click behind him.

“I ought to be asking you the same thing,” her mother snapped, rising from her chair. “Sneaking around in the middle of the night like a bandit, that close to the Forest Of Certain Death at this hour--”

“There’s nothing there in the middle of the night,” Star rolled her eyes impatiently. “Well, around two-thirty we gotta clear out for the Invisible Goats’ campfire chat, that goes on for about…uh…” She stopped when she saw Moon gaping at her.

“How long have you two been doing this?”

Star paused, but the internal debate about whether to lie or not didn’t last long. “Two years. Since I left to come back for my training.”

“I see.” The queen ran a hand through her bangs, letting out a deep sigh. “Star, why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Because you’re right! I do need to be taking this future queen thing seriously! The fun stuff’s over, no more goofing around.” Star’s voice broke, and she folded her arms over her chest, looking away so her mother wouldn’t see her watering eyes. “You and Aunt Etheria and the others, this means so much to you guys. And Mewni means so much to me. I’m gonna be ruling it someday soon, and I need to be prepared.” She glanced back up at Moon, who hadn’t moved an inch, her lips pressed into a thin line and her fuchsia diamond emblems flushed. “Oh, you’re mad, you’re _really_ mad--”

“You lied to me,” Moon almost growled, yet Star could have sworn she sounded hurt. “You said you left Earth with no strings attached. And now I come across you and Marco in a very compromising position--”

“Mom! We were making out, that’s it!” Sometimes they did more than make out, but her mother sure didn’t need to know about that.

“You said the two of you were friends and nothing more.”

“We were!” Star insisted. “I swear, when I agreed to come home for my crash course, we were just friends.”

“And now?” Moon raised her eyebrows. 

“Marco…confessed to me the day before I left,” Star mumbled, hanging her head as she rocked back and forth on her boots. “And I -- _ugh,_ Mom, you know how I feel about him.” 

“I do, Star, but this puts us in a very delicate situation,” Moon breathed out, pinching the bridge of her nose as she paced the floor, her hair and dressing gown fluttering behind her. “When I saw you in his arms, I became so angry and panicked--”

“Whoa hold it, since when do you disapprove of Marco?!” Star cried out. “What's not to like?! He can cook, dance, he's a triple black belt, he looks amazing in a poofy purple dress--!" 

“Star, at first I thought you were embracing some stranger, it was so dark out. When I realized it was Marco, I had never been so _relieved.”_

“Relieved?” Star couldn’t help smiling as Moon approached her, placing her hands on her shoulders.

“Star, if you were an ordinary girl living an ordinary life, of course I would give you my blessing immediately,” her mother whispered, pushing Star’s hair away from her face as she raised her head. “Marco is a wonderful b--man,” she corrected herself, often still seeing that small skinny fourteen-year-old when she looked at him, “and your father and I already love him like he’s our own.”

“But?” Star anticipated with dread.

“But you are not an ordinary girl, Star. From the moment you were born, you knew your path in life. And you have made your way down that path beautifully.” She drew a shaking breath, “The question is…can this man from Earth, who has his own life on Earth, walk beside you down that path?”

Star averted her eyes as best she could with her mother cupping her face, biting her lip as a couple of tears trickled over her hearts. It looked like she and Marco were going to have to have that talk a lot sooner than they anticipated.

 

* * *

 

“That Earth boy?!” Etheria shrieked so loudly that even the Magic High Commission covered their ears. _“He’s_ to be the future King?! Whatever’s next, a Mud Dweller?!”

“No one has said anything about ‘future King’, Auntie,” Moon said calmly, rubbing her temples as that piercing voice echoed off the marble walls of the conference room.

“Oh please Moon, he’s been joined at her hip since they were fourteen,” Hekapoo snorted, folding her arms over her chest. “You should’ve called the caterers the second you saw them locking lips.”

“I’m all for it!” Rhombulus shouted, punching his serpent fists into the air like a sports fan in an arena. “The kid’s a natural warrior and a smart strategist! Princess Star needs someone like that by her side!”

“Princess Star needs someone who has been born and raised in our dimension!” Etheria chirped indignantly, pointing a bony finger in his direction. “Not some foreigner who pops in every now and then!” 

“Quit talkin’ about me like I’m not here!” Star shouted, slapping her palms down on the wood table, silencing the chatter around her. “For your information, Aunt Etheria, that Earth boy’s been defending this kingdom for years, from Ludo to Toffee to Eclipsa herself. So don’t act like he’s not qualified!”

“With all due respect, Your Highness, a King of Mewni must be able to do far more than swing his fists around in battle,” Omnitraxus pointed out evenly from his crystal ball.

“Enough,” Moon stated loudly, making everyone turn in their queen’s direction. “I have nothing but admiration and respect for Marco Diaz, and you should as well. What we need to discuss are the steps to take should things become…serious.” She looked to Star, “Are they serious?" 

“Yeah, I…I think so,” Star said more quietly, staring down at her twisting hands. They weren’t throwing the royal title around casually, in fact the word still made Marco break out in a cold sweat. But regardless, they were very much in love with each other.

“So you have discussed the possibility of marriage? And him becoming your king?”

“We’re--we’re getting to that,” Star stuttered anxiously, the word _‘marriage’_ just about sending her over the edge. “I just don’t--he might not--I don’t know!”

She jumped up from her chair and raced for the door, knowing that wasn’t going to make her look good in front of the High Commission and not caring in the slightest. Racing down the corridor, she found a familiar corner in the wall where she used to hide as a child and slid to the floor, curling herself into it.

She loved Marco, and it was because she loved him that she didn’t want to do this to him. He loved Earth, he loved his family, and he loved being a school psychologist. Star couldn’t just ask him to drop everything and be her king, that wasn’t fair. But on the other hand…she loved Marco _so much._ And if she had to choose, she couldn’t imagine anyone else ruling Mewni beside her.

“Star?” came a quiet whisper, a hand gently cupping her shoulder. Letting out a little whimper, the princess raised her head to see Moon kneeling in front of her. Far from reprimanding her, she opened her arms and Star sniffled as she threw herself into them.

“I wanna freeze time,” she cried, wiping her nose on her mother’s shoulder. “I don’t wanna get any older, I just wanna stay where I am with Marco forever. We’re so happy right now.” 

Moon kissed the top of her head, rocking her gently like she was a baby in her lap again. “You’re afraid he’ll reject you. That’s why you keep putting it off.” Star’s body seized up as a wave of sobs rippled through her, hanging on tighter as her mother spoke the blunt truth, like she always did.

“I _know_ he’ll say no, Mommy…I know it.”

“Oh my darling,” Moon breathed, wanting so badly to console her, but for once finding herself at a loss for words. “I think you give him far too little credit. But…should he say no, I will be here. You hold your head high in the public’s eye, but when you need to cry, I’m right here. I always will be, Star.” 

“Thanks, Mom,” Star whimpered, knowing it would be a small comfort compared to the hole it would leave behind inside her, but a comfort nonetheless.

And Moon let out a deep sigh. Reassuring her daughter was the easy part. The hard parts were still yet to come.

 

* * *

 

She was laying on her bed, staring up at the starry underside of the canopy, trying to decide if the enchanted stars moved in some sort of rotation or at random. Sure it was boring, but at least it kept her mind off--

_Whoosh!_

_Right on time,_ Star thought as bright portal blue lit up her semi-dark room. He was always punctual, safe kid that he was, and when she said seven o’clock he showed up a minute before. Just him and his cute little hoodie, stuffing his scissors into his pocket once the portal shut behind him.

He smiled. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she said almost dreamily from looking at the fake stars for so long, rising from the bed as they made their way towards each other slowly. Marco shuffled his feet with his hands in his pockets while Star glanced anxiously around the room, twisting her hands around her hair. It was the most awkward they had been around each other since -- well probably Star’s Song Day, years ago.

“I’ve been doing a lotta thinking.” They stopped as they both spoke the same sentence at once, then chuckled when realizing they did _‘that thing’_ again. Then their laughter died back into silence. 

“You go first, you’re the queen,” Marco gestured to her. 

“Future queen,” Star pointed out, giving her hair a final tug before letting go. “Uh look, now that everyone knows about us…again.” It really was like Song Day all over again.

“Except this time, it’s true,” Marco added with a grin.

“Yeah,” Star returned the smile, nudging him affectionately. “Um, the thing is, they wanna know what you’re--uh--plans are.”

“‘They’?”

“Ya know, my parents, the High Commission…” _All of Mewni_ , she wanted to say, but decided against it. 

“Uh well, I’ve been looking into potential jobs after graduation,” Marco said, rubbing the back of his neck and gripping the hairs there. “Nothing fancy, probably just a school psychologist. I really like working with kids the most.”

“I know you do, and you’re super good at it,” Star nodded genuinely. “How’s that girl with the bullying problem doing?”

“Better, but ya know, it never really ends. I think she’ll have an easier time now that summer’s started.”

“That’s good.” More silence, broken only by the wind picking up outside Star’s balcony window. She looked down at her wand, her thumb rubbing over the white wings protruding from the crest. “So, you sound…pretty sure of yourself.”

“To be honest, I’m not sure of anything.” Marco let out a self-deprecating laugh, “Ya know me, when have I ever been?”

“Psychology makes you happy. I want you to do what makes you happy, Marco.”

 _“You_ make me happy,” he said, pulling her closer and raising her chin so they could press their foreheads together. “There, that I’m sure of.”

“But there’s no room for me in your world.” She pulled back, and Marco saw her baby blue eyes glittering with gathering tears. “There isn’t, is there?”

“Star, of course there is. I’ve tried--I’ve tried to imagine a world without you in it, and I _can’t._ It’s gotten to the point where I dunno how I got through the first fourteen years of my life without you." 

“Marco, I’m gonna be Queen of Mewni,” she stated sharply. “It’s happening for real and it’s happening now, not years down the road like we used to talk about. And…” She took a deep breath like she was about to plunge underwater, “And I need to know if there’s a possibility of you being my King.”

 _And there it is_ , Marco thought. After months of trying to picture how this conversation was going to go, her actually saying the words out loud was even scarier than he predicted. His face flushed as his blood pressure shot through the roof, “Uh…I, uh…”

Star could feel her heart starting to crack into pieces. He sounded exactly like he did that night years ago, when she confessed that she had a crush on him in front of all of Echo Creek. But she couldn’t wait for him this time. She needed to know. 

“I…I gotta think about it, Star.”

She closed her eyes and nodded. “Okay.”

“W-wait, that’s it?” His heart contracted painfully, “I thought--”

“It’s fine Marco, you can go now.” She had turned away from him to peer out at the balcony, where raindrops from the incoming storm were splattering the marble finish. The sight began to blur in her vision as she felt him hold her from behind.

“Star--”

“Marco, please just go,” Star insisted, her voice fluttering with emotion. She tensed as he pressed his lips into her hair before his touch left her, and she heard the familiar _whoosh_ of his dimensional scissors activating. 

“I love you,” Marco said just loud enough for her to hear, his own eyes growing damp as he stared helplessly at the back of her head.

“I love you, too,” Star warbled brokenly, burying her crumpling face in her hands as the portal back to Earth closed swiftly.

 

* * *

 

“Tell me again why our evening plans have been cancelled?” King River asked, his stout little legs rushing briskly to keep up with his wife, who walked with purpose down the corridor leading to their private tea parlor.

“You know I don’t normally drop everything like this,” Moon muttered distractedly. “I hate disruptions to my schedule, and it is _I_ that summons others to me, not the other way around.” She bit down on her lip, “This is different.”

“But Moon Pie,” the king almost whined, “I had a beautiful spread all ready for us on the veranda, a perfect view of the sunset and everything. We haven’t had a night to ourselves in so long since Star came back!”

“Precisely.” She whipped her head around at him once they reached the door. “Marco is meeting us here.”

River inhaled sharply. “Do you suppose it has to do with his courtship of Star?”

“I see no other reason why he wanted to speak to us on such short notice. And they call it ‘dating’ nowadays, dear.”

“I’m worried,” River mused unhappily as they entered the cozily lit nook in their vast castle, the one corner that usually made them feel completely at ease. “He and Star haven’t spoken in nearly three weeks. She tries to cover it up, but I can see how miserable she is." 

“I know, but this was necessary,” Moon sighed, seating herself at the table as a servant brought them two cups of tea. “One more, please,” she instructed him, and he bowed before going back to the serving counter.

“Does Star know he’s coming?” River asked, grabbing the plateful of cookies and shoving them into his mouth nervously.

“No, I insisted she go to Pony Head Castle tonight to spend time with Lilacia.”

“Don’t let her hear you call her by that name.”

“I’ve known her since she was a foal,” Moon stated primly, her pinkie at a perfect ninety degrees as she sipped from her cup. “And she does know how to take Star’s mind off of her troubles.”

“But should the boy come bearing bad news--”

“River, this is between _them,”_ his wife emphasized, setting her tea back on the saucer. “Our job is to be there for our child, come what may. I told Star to allow for some time and space between Marco and herself…and my hope is that it will have done them some good.”

Only a few moments of silence passed before the sound of a portal blooming open caught their attention. Marco stepped through wearing nice pants and a sweater vest, his hair combed neatly and the distinct aroma of far too much cologne filling the air. At least he hadn’t overdone it and made them all choke, as he had at his first Mewnian ball.

“River,” he nodded at them. “Moon.”

“Marco,” the king and queen replied together, nodding back.

“Please have a seat,” Moon invited, inclining her head to the third chair at their table. The young man cleared his throat and sat down awkwardly -- lurching back as the servant rushed into view, setting his tea in front of him.

“Thanks,” Marco exhaled. “Uh, sugar please?”

“Right away, sir.” He was taken aback when the servant bowed to him, but it didn’t leave an unpleasant feeling behind. If anything, he felt a small surge of prominence.

“To what do we owe the honor of this visit, m’boy?” River asked eagerly, slapping his hands onto his knees as Moon continued to sip from her teacup.

“I think you know why,” Marco said quietly, his hands quivering in his lap. “At least, Queen Moon does.”

“Moon Pie, what haven’t you been telling me?” the king asked, placing his hand on his wife’s arm as she set her cup and saucer aside.

“There’s been nothing to tell, River. At least not until now, it seems.” Moon folded her hands in a businesslike manner. “So you and Star have finally talked, I presume?" 

“Sort of,” Marco shrugged, idly dropping four sugar cubes into his tea from the bowl he had been brought. “I told her I needed to think it over, and I think it gave her the wrong impression. She was pretty upset with me.”

“Think what over?” River glanced between them, his blue eyes wide like a puppy waiting for a treat.

“Whether or not I’m gonna be Star’s…king.”

“River, I’m begging you, _control yourself,”_ Moon shut him down as the plump little man’s face lit up like a Christmas tree, opening his mouth to let out a booming roar of happiness. His lips closed promptly and he shrank back in his seat, assuming a more professional stance.

 _“Ahem,_ well, you know being a King of Mewni is serious work. Lots of responsibility, but lots of perks, too. Gold, jewels, free luxurious lodgings, the people’s love and admiration--”

“Marco, what my husband means to say is it’s a job,” the queen summed up, leaning forward in her seat to stare him down. “You would be second in command, higher than the lords and ladies of the council who have been born and raised in Mewnian splendor and royalty. Then along comes this common boy from Earth who suddenly outranks them.” Her steely gaze softened, “It’s going to be difficult for you, should you decide to accept.”

“I know. That’s what I came to you both.” Marco swallowed hard, staring at his cup instead of drinking from it. “It’d be easy for me to just say ‘thanks but no thanks’. But there’s one big thing stopping me, and that’s your daughter. Your amazing, beautiful, strong daughter who makes me feel like I can do anything. I wanna at least make an attempt to be the man she needs me to be.” 

“A trial period?” Moon raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed with his offer. “That seems reasonable." 

“Moon, may I finish?” River asked quietly, and she nodded. He slid off his chair and approached Marco, gripping the arms of the boy’s chair. “You know this kingdom’s backbone is its women, and the magic that runs through the veins of those women. My vow, from the moment I pledged myself to Moon, was to protect her and her magic, so that she might grow to be the powerful ruler she has become. It is a lifetime commitment, my boy. And I need you to be able to do the same for my Star.”

Marco bit his lip. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but…I think I already have. I mean, since the first day we met, I’ve always had her back. I sure don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.” River stepped back, his intimidating demeanor dissolving as Marco stood from his seat.

“I know you don’t need me to say this ‘cause you see it all the time, but I’m gonna say it anyway: I love Star, Your Majesties. I love her with all my heart. Every day since she came into my life has been better than the day before. And honestly, I can never thank you enough for bringing her to me all those years ago. I…don’t know who I’d be now if it wasn’t for her, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near what I am today.” His jaw set determinedly, “And I wanna keep getting better. I wanna get on Star’s level. So if I have to be King to do it, when can I start?”

A slow smile spread across Moon’s face, her sapphire eyes now lighting up her stern angular features. “I was so hoping you were going to say that, Marco.”

“Ha ha!” River shouted with joy, crushing him around the waist in a suffocating bear hug. “I knew you’d grab the bull by the horns! Oh, Star is going to be just thrilled!”

Marco chuckled as best he could in his constricted state, patting River on the back. “Yeah, I sure hope so.”

“I expect her back within a few hours,” Moon said. “However, she is with Princess Pony Head, so--”

“Say no more,” Marco nodded with an understanding chuckle. “I’ll go hang out at Tom’s for awhile ‘til she gets back.” He stepped back to face them both, then bent himself at the waist into a bow. “Thank you both. This means a lot to me, and I’ll do my best.” 

“It means more to us to see our little girl happy than anything else,” River said gently, clasping both of his hands around Marco’s.

“Indeed,” Moon agreed, her blue eyes the warmest Marco had ever seen them before. “And I do apologize for my behavior the night I caught you two -- erm, ‘dating’.”

Marco bit back a laugh, “No, we should’ve just been straight with you and not tried to hide our relationship. I was just worried you would think I was distracting Star, but we probably could’ve gotten this all fixed a lot sooner if you knew.”

“A princess training to be queen needs someone to keep her grounded, to remind her that she is loved and worthy when she feels inadequate. Thankfully, she was not thrust into the role as I was, but I was still…rather lucky in some respects.” She glanced over at River, who blushed a bit under his beard.

“In that case, thank you for your blessing, Queen Moon.” With that, Marco activated his scissors and left through the portal with a much lighter heart and bigger smile than he entered with. 

River let out a long breath as if he had been holding it in. “Well, see there? It all worked out for the best. I knew it, Moon, I had faith from the very beginning--”

He was cut off as his queen seized his shoulders and pulled him closer, removing his crown to plant a kiss on his smooth bald head. River stuttered a bit as she pulled back, gazing lovingly down into his cornflower eyes. “Wh-what was that for?”

“You’re my best friend, River,” Moon whispered, her gloved fingers playing with the ruffled collar around his neck. “You know that, don’t you?” 

“I’d not thought to put a label on it, but--well yes, I suppose so.”

“I never confided in anyone else but you since my mother’s death,” she went on solemnly. “And you…you just listened. You were there, and you gave me nothing but love and affection while I grieved. While I _still_ grieve…" 

“Of course, my dearest,” River hushed, holding her cheek and stroking the diamond emblem with his thumb. “And you as well. You’re my best friend, too. You’ve taken me more seriously than my own family has. I…would not be the man I am today without you.” He faltered a bit once he realized he was speaking the exact words Marco had about Star.

Moon closed her eyes, letting a single tear slip down her cheek as she leaned forward, pressing her lips briefly to River’s. “I want Star to be as contented as I am with you. That’s all I want for her.”

“She will be, Moon. I know now beyond a shadow of a doubt that she will be.”

 

* * *

 

“See ya, Pony!” Star called to her friend as she flew back to her castle in the clouds, whooping tipsily. Luckily the distance wasn’t too far, so Star knew she would make it home in one piece -- that one piece being her disembodied head. Letting out a sigh, she headed down the cobblestoned path to the gardens, lit dimly with fairy lights in the summer evening.

It was peaceful and a bit too quiet for her tastes, which meant the princess’ mind went back to her troubles after forgetting about them for a few entertaining hours with her bestie. Not that they hadn’t occurred to her at all while she was out having fun. She couldn’t even go near the Amethyst Arcade without thinking about--

“Marco?!”

The familiar figure leapt up from the stone bench he had been hunched over on, whirling around with a startled expression matching hers in equal ardence. For a moment they just stared at each other, neither closing the several feet of distance between them.

“Hey, you’re back,” he tried casually.

“What are you doing here?” Star asked, shaking her head in disbelief. “I don’t see you for forever, and then you just show up outta the blue?”

“I-I came to see your parents, it was kinda spur of the moment--”

“Kinda! You couldn’t even shoot me a text?!”

“Star listen,” Marco interjected, his softer tone contrasting jarringly with her almost outraged one. “I did a lotta thinking -- three weeks’ worth, actually. The whole time, I couldn’t stop thinking about you and your kingdom and how I fit into all that.” 

Star’s heart sank like a stone to the bottom of the sea. This was it. The moment of truth, and she wasn’t ready for it. He looked so solemn that she was sure she knew the answer before he opened his mouth.

“Marco…no matter what you’re gonna say, it’s alright. I’ll be fine with whatever you decide, as long as I know that you’re happy.”

“Star, how many times do I have to say it? I _am_ happy.”

She blinked, finally moving nearer to him, never taking her baby blue eyes off of his brown ones as they became closer and brighter. “Okay Marco, what’re you saying?”

“I’m happy with the way things are,” he repeated, grabbing her hands as soon as they were in reach. “When I finally realized why I was always so drawn to you, why I was so miserable when you left, why I would never hesitate to do anything for you, it all just clicked into place. When it came to us, who are to each other -- man, I-I was so stupid not to see it for so long, and you--" 

“I thought I was just a silly girl with a dumb crush that wouldn’t go away,” Star sniffed, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her pink hoodie that nicely complimented his red one. “When it didn’t go away…that’s when I realized it was more than a crush.”

“But we figured it out,” Marco smiled. “I love you, and you love me. And I wanna keep it this way. ‘Cause I’ve never been happier.”

“Marco, I can’t just rip you away from Earth like this,” Star cried, pressing her hands to his chest when he slid his arms around her waist.

“First off, you can’t rip me away if I go willingly,” Marco pointed out. “And second, it’s just a trial period. Four years of king training. At the end of it, I’ll give you and your parents my final decision.”

“And how are you gonna do that?”

He smiled, pressing his lips to the heart on her right cheek. “Maybe a sparkly piece of jewelry will be involved.”

“Ya know how much I like sparkles.” Star laughed lightly, until one of the chuckles caught in her throat. She froze, a little whine escaping as she covered her eyes with her hand. 

“Star?” Marco asked alarmedly, enveloping her closer as she buried her face in his chest. “Star, don’t cry, please don’t.”

“Why?” she sobbed. “Why are you doing this for me?”

“‘Cause from now on, making a decision for myself involves you, too. That’s how it works with us. It’s just…the way it’s always been.” He planted little kisses on top of her head, breathing in her strawberry scented hair as she trembled in his arms. “C’mon, now _I’m_ gonna start crying.”

“You’re too good for me, Marco Diaz,” Star sighed, looking up into his own tear-filled eyes. “You could’ve had anybody, _anybody_ in the universe.”

“And you could’ve been sent anywhere else on Earth as an exchange student,” Marco added, holding her face in his hands and wiping the tears off of her heart emblems. “And the Blood Moon could’ve picked any other two souls at that ball. All this stuff fell into place for a reason, Star. I really do believe that. We were meant to be in this for the long haul.”

Star nodded before rising to her tiptoes to meet his lips, sliding her arms around his back and pulling him closer into an intimate embrace. Above them, Mewni’s four moons and countless stars shone down upon them silently, as if keeping watch so no force of evil could tear them apart. For tonight, it was just the princess, the Earth boy, and one sacred promise between them.

 

* * *

 

“So is this how you found them?” River asked Moon from their place on the veranda overlooking the gardens, their lights dimmed so they would not be noticed.

“No,” Moon shook her head, covering his hand holding the railing with hers. “I found them engaging playfully that night. This is…an experience. For them, and for anyone who witnesses.” She sighed, “We’re some distance away, and yet I can feel every speck of love emitting from them.”

“What they have is very special, Moon,” her husband smiled, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing it. “Once in a lifetime, I would say.”

 _They both have so much to learn,_ the queen thought, hearing her daughter’s laughter float up towards them before she dove in for another kiss from Marco. _The traditions of the monarchy, the matters of diplomacy, anticipating the pressures and sleepless nights…_

_But in ruling this kingdom on a foundation of love, it is they who will be teaching **us.**_

 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos are great, but comments are better.


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